All articles by Rob Brown – Page 5
-
Category ReportWhy snack bars are in great shape: category report 2023
While rules on in-store merchandising have taken the wind out of HFSS snacks, makers of cereal and protein bars are fighting fit
-
Category ReportHow snack bars are becoming gold bars: snack bar mergers category report 2023
Healthier snack bar brands have become a key target for M&A. How can investors be sure to back a golden opportunity?
-
ReportsPicard shows Brits the way forward on frozen food
French brands are deigning to show Brits how it’s done via some gastronomic delights in the frozen aisle
-
Category ReportWhy inflation is a fork in the road for frozen: frozen food category report 2023
As shoppers suffer from ‘till shock’, frozen stands to benefit from its value credentials. Will this change the direction of the sector?
-
Category ReportHow bottled water can escape the supply maelstrom: bottled water category report 2023
Amid record heat and logistical issues last summer, bottled water faced a supply crisis. Can the industry learn any lessons for 2023?
-
ReportsWhy soft seltzers are making a big splash
While units shrank by 4.4%, Kantar says flavoured sparkling is attracting new shoppers
-
Category ReportAre Easter sales at risk of being squished? Easter & spring category report 2023
HFSS regulations and recession are bearing down on the Easter bunny. So what can be done to drive growth for festive treats this year?
-
ReportsCut-price roasts loom for this year’s Easter
Easter isn’t only for gorging on chocolate eggs, hot cross buns and the like
-
ReportsWhy white chocolate is the hip option this Easter
White is the new brown for suppliers, with brands from Smarties to Jaffa Cakes launching paler versions of their bestsellers
-
Category ReportWhy ready meals have entered a new ice age: category report 2023
Frozen ready meals have become a hotbed of growth, competition and innovation. How will the category develop as costs ramp up?
-
Analysis & FeaturesConfectionery – chocolate 2022: Easter saves choc in difficult year
Chocolate’s on the skids. Grocers have sold 91.2 million fewer bars, bags and boxes of the stuff in the past year
-
Analysis & FeaturesConfectionery – sugar and gum 2022: Sweets surge as Brits get out and about
Candy’s value in grocery is up 6.9%, while gum sales have spiked 16.7%
-
Analysis & FeaturesFrozen food 2022: long-term behavioural shift paying dividends
Under normal circumstances, a £119.8m decline on volumes down 10.7% would spark panic in supplier HQs. But things haven’t been normal for quite some time
-
Analysis & FeaturesRice, noodles & pasta 2022: Pasta stays firm despite price hikes
Dry pasta has seen the greatest average price jump of any food in Top Products 2022
-
Analysis & FeaturesBaby & infant products 2022: brands see benefit among Brit ‘baby bump’
You’d be forgiven for thinking the UK was in the grip of a post-pandemic baby boom. After all, sales in the three main infant care categories have grown a combined £84.2m
-
Analysis & FeaturesHot beverages 2022: Costa makes a splash in hot drinks
Sales of Costa’s coffee and hot chocolate lines have added £6.8m, with volumes surging 72%
-
Category ReportWhy small cheese is in big growth: cheese category report 2022
Mini portions have taken off in the past year. How can brands and retailers keep the little cheese wheels rolling?
-
Category ReportWhy the meal deal could be on life support: Food-to-go category report 2022
Meal deal prices are on the up – and rising labour costs are likely to make the situation critical. How can the supermarkets adapt?
-
Category ReportHow exotic pie is getting a piece of the action: savoury pastries & meat snacks category report 2022
Brands are reaching for global influences to reinvigorate pastry and meat snacks. Can they reinvent the pie for a new shopper?
-
Analysis & FeaturesCan plant-based cheese be made healthy?
Plant-based cheese has a health problem. Like dairy, it’s packed full of saturated fat. And unlike dairy, most of the category is high in refined carbohydrates and largely lacking in protein. Cathedral City Plant Based is a case in point. It contains more saturated fat per 100g ...